To win the world cup is not a tea party; neither is it a jamboree, it takes a lot of planning, preparation and commitment.
For an African country to win the world cup, they must have to detach themselves from this mentality of seeing the mundial as a ritual that comes up every four years and get more serious and deliberate about it, otherwise it will continue to be a mirage or an illusion sort of.
Africa must leave the level of merely completing the numbers at the tournament, to that of being competitive or competitiveness.
Every country that has won this football’s biggest crown, will tell you it was a project, in other words, a long term plan. Can this be said of most African countries? They wait until it’s few weeks to the competition before they begin their preparations. What a pity!
Talents alone will not be enough to fulfill this dream, but unfortunately this has been the mistake by many African countries, where they think that they have the talents therefore will be able to conquer the world.
Even the legendary late king of football and icon, Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pele, having seen the amount of talents bound in the African continent, predicted that an African team would win the world cup before the turn or end of the last century which never happened. It is not because it was not possible but because Africans themselves have not braced up to the challenge by waking up from their slumber.
However, top talents with good administrative sagacity and prowess, quality coaching, early preparation, fair invitation and selection of players based on current form, lack of corruption, absence of infighting and rift during major tournaments, Africa can dare to dream to win the world cup.
Atlas Lions of Morocco made all Africans proud when they got to the semi finals of the last world cup, but that came with a high price; huge financial investments in football development for many years; with conscious and deliberate planning.
Africa countries must desist from their over dependence on foreign based players but must develop their domestic league and also give chance to their locally groomed players to feature for the national team.
This will not just only encourage players playing at home to give their best at all times but will equally help promote the league.
Were there no foreign players when late Stephen Keshi gave the likes of Godfrey Oboabona who was then at Sunshine Stars, Azubuike Egwueke, Warri Wolves, Ejike Uzoenyi, Rangers, Sunday Mba, Rangers, who stole the show at South Africa 2013 AFCON the chance to play at both the Africa cup of nations and the world cup?
This was just 14 years ago. So why would anybody tell us that there are no good players good enough to wear the national jersey.
Even Clemence Westerhof did it with the likes of Isaac Semitoje, late Uche Okafor, late Thompson Oliha, who are based at home at the time and many more.
This is why the appointment of an indigenous coach as the head coach of the Super Eagles by the NFF is the right step in the right direction.
The home based players must form the foundation of African countries national teams if they must win the world cup.
They must develop and have a playing style or philosophy. Brazil has the Samba or Joga bonito, Spain plays Tiki taka, Holland has Total football, what is Nigeria’s football style called? Do we even have a particular playing style as a country?
This is food for thought for everyone if Africa indeed wants to win the world cup.
